Healing Heart
by waterdancer15
Summary: Based on the younger sister mentioned by Neal in First Test. Set after Lady Knight, Desdemona shows up near Steadfast, ragged and in a desperate search for Neal. Rating is for angst that will show up in later chapters as she tells her story. Please RR
1. The Patrol

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except Desdemona, and I got her from something mentioned by the incredible author we all admire, Tamora Pierce,  
A/N: This was an idea I got one night while falling asleep. I hope you like it. I won't update unless I get reviews, because I have a lot of homework most days, and won't have as good an excuse to procrastinate and write this unless I do get reviews.

Healing Heart: the life and tragedy of Desdemona of Queenscove Chapter 1: The Patrol Dom was standing on the wall of Fort Steadfast when he heard horn calls from the patrol that said they had found someone. Reaching for his sword, he heard more calls identifying the stranger as a friend. Dom signalled his squad to mount up to find out what was going on and to escort the stranger back to the fort.  
As they rode out, Dom wondered if it was Kel and Neal, due any day to report to Raoul of the success of their refugee camp and the possibility of moving the inhabitants south since the border had calmed down. Smiling to himself at the prospect of seeing Kel and Sir Meathead, Dom led his men in the direction of the patrol's horn calls.

"Who do you think it is?" asked Wolset, one of Dom's corporals.

"Dunno, that's why we're going to find out," he replied with a hint of playful sarcasm.

"Lady Kel is supposed to be coming sometime this week, isn't she?" inquired Giles. He had known Kel since she was squire to Raoul, and looked forward to seeing her again.

"If it was the group from New Hope, why didn't they just ride on to the fort?" wondered Dom.

"Well, let's find out, here's the patrol" said Symric, bringing the rest of the group back from their reverie.

The men looked down to see two of the men from the patrol off their horses, trying to comfort a sobbing young woman, obviously afraid these were enemies. She was babbling to herself in Gallan, and clutching what appeared to be a bundle of rags to her chest.

"Who is this?" asked Dom of the two men as he got of his own horse to approach them. They looked at him, clearly unsure of how to treat the upset girl. When he reached the three, he addressed the girl. "My name is Domitan of Masbolle. I'm from the Tortallan Fort Steadfast just west of here."

Upon hearing this statement, the young woman stopped crying and responded to him in unaccented Common "Dom? It's really you. Thank the Gods! Do you know where Neal is? I need to talk to him. I sent him a letter through father, but I don't think he ever got it. I couldn't take another moment. We were at the capital with the Tortallan ambassadors, and I slipped out one night. Dom, you have to help me!"

All the men's jaws dropped. They had thought she was a refugee from the Gallan border where it met both Tortall and Scanra. Now they realized they were all wrong, and stood gazing from Dom to the girl, wondering what to do.

This speech had shocked Dom as much as anyone else, but something about her facial features and the way she spoke reminded him very strongly of someone. Her reference to Neal made him think of his cousin, Neal's younger sister. Last her heard she was to be married to some Gallan count for political reasons.

"Dessie? Desdemona? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Suddenly everyone started asking question at once.

"You know this girl? Who is she? What is she doing here? What are we going to do with her?"

When Dom began to address the men "This is..." she stopped him with a hand over his mouth.

"They will catch me and drag me back if he finds me," she hissed in his ear. "I'll talk to you later, in private, about what happened. Right now i need to talk to Neal as soon as possible."

The mysterious young woman now turned to the men at large and addressed them, still with her hand over Dom's mouth. "My name is Dessie. I was living in Galla, but because of recent events which you do not need to know about, I am looking for my brother. All I know is he is posted at one of the forts on this border. I have traveled through Scanran territory to get this far, because I have contacts in Scanra that told me that this was the best place to go to find my brother."

Looking around at the stupefied men, Dessie turned to Dom and finished, "Now if you would be so kind, I would like to see whomever is in charge of this fort of yours."

Wolset broke from his trance first. "Of course miss. Will you ride double with one of the men? Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak will be very interested in hearing your story, I'm sure."

Smiling graciously, Dessie swung herself into the saddle in front of Wolset while the rest of the squad and patrol gathered their wits and regrouped for the ride back to Steadfast. 


	2. Dessie's Story

Disclaimer: I own Dessie and Emmaline. Everything else belongs to Tamora Pierce.  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I won't respond in the story, but I'll try to read and review people's stories. I will hopefully be able to write one or two more chapters on the weekend, since it is a long weekend. 

Healing Heart: the life and tragedy of Desdemona of Queenscove Chapter 2: Dessie's Story

As the group entered Steadfast's gates, Dom directed his squad to return their horses to the stables before returning to their posts on the wall. When Dessie had dismounted from in front of him, Wolset took the reins of Dom's horse. "Have fun with my lord," he said, grinning at Dom's misfortune of having to explain the situation to Raoul.

"Thanks ever so," replied Dom dryly before gesturing towards headquarters and following the straight-backed girl through the door.

When the reached the door to Raoul's office, they found it open and the man inside, poring over maps of the area and contemplating a piece of paper on his desk. "My lord?" Dom said hesitatingly.

"Come in, come in. Have you come to explain all the horn calls a moment ago?" said Raoul without looking up.

"Yes, and I think you'll find the answer in front of you, if you look up," replied Dom, pulling the suddenly shy young woman out from behind his back. When Raoul realized their was someone else in the room, he got to his feet and closed the door.

"Sit. Explain." He commanded. It was not a request, and Dom and Dessie took the chairs in front of the desk.

"Well, I took my squad out to find the source of the patrol's confusion, and found this girl. She told the squad she was from Galla, and looking for her brother, who is posted at one of Tortall's northern forts. However, I recognized her for who she really was, my cousin, and Neal's younger sister, Desdemona of Queenscove. Beyond that, I have no idea what she is doing or how she got here."

Raoul was taken aback at Dom's explanation, but quickly followed Dom's gaze to the girl, still clutching the bundle of rags. She looked back, defiantly at first, but soon her gaze softened and fell to the floor. "I told you Dom, I need to find Neal. It's a matter of life and death." She turned imploring eyes to the two men, who just looked back, waiting for an explanation. "Well, since you apparently aren't going to tell me anything until you hear what you want, this is what has happened to me since I left Tortall.

"I was part of a delegation to Galla. I was to marry one of the rich young counts, as part of the treaty for Galla's help in this war. So Father summoned me from the convent, where I had also learned to heal. I went to Galla and married the count, one Count Roche of Lac Leon. He was handsome, and charming. I could find no reason he hadn't been wed already.

"Soon after the wedding, I returned to his home, where I found out why. He beat the servants when he was drunk. Soon enough it wasn't just when he was drunk, and it wasn't just the servants either. He left after a few months, to go to Cria for the fair. He said thaqt when he returned, he hoped I would have a healthy heir for him. He was gone for four months, in which time I discovered I was pregnant. When he returned, he was even worse. He beat me until I broke. I was able to heal myself, but I was afraid for my unborn child.

"A few months later, I was almost due, and he decided to take me to the palace. He said he wanted me to have the best healers, but he really just wanted to show me off. We had only been there a few days when I gave birth to a baby girl. I was scared for both our lives, because Roche had wanted a boy, an heir. I convinced the healers not to tell him, and to not allow him into the room. They knew his reputation for beating and raping common girls, so they agreed.

"It bought us two more weeks. Finally they ran out of excuses. He insisted on coming into my room. When he saw the baby was a girl, he got very angry. I was afraid he would kill me. I was able to protect my daughter with my magic, but I didn't have enough for myself. When he left, I knew he would got to the local tavern, and be there a while, probably overnight. So I took my chance. I packed what little I could, took the baby, and contacted some acquaintances from Scanra, who could help me find a Tortallan fort, and hopefully my brother Neal."

Dom and Raoul stared at the girl, imagining what she had gone through. She looked at the bundle of rags in her lap, which they now realized must be her infant daughter. When they had finally collected their thoughts, Raoul addressed the girl in a soft, soothing voice. "Neal and some others from New Hope refugee camp are coming some time in the next day or two. But, one question, whose life were you talking about when you said it was a life or death situation?"

"My daughter's. I don't know what is wrong with her. I think something happened while I was pregnant. I have some possibilities, but I need another healer's help to find out exactly what it is. Neal was the only person I thought I could trust. For all his being a Meathead, he is still my big brother, and he has always been there for me."

"This count. That's who you said would catch you and drag you back. I can see why you left. Well, I'm sure we can make sure you stay safe." Dom looked at his cousin, remembering all the times he and Neal had tried to trick her, only to have their plans blow up in their faces. Dessie was smart and strong. To hear about someone beating her, her being scared for her life, and her daughter's. It nearly broke his heart to see her broken.

"We will send you back to New Hope with Neal and Kel. You can help Neal in the infirmary, and pretend to be a refugee. And Neal will love having another trained healer there." Raoul was thinking out loud. Dessie's face began to lose the hopeless expression it had worn during the retelling of her story. "For now, you can sleep in a bed in the infirmary, because I'm afraid the only other option is barracks, with the army or the Own."

"Thank you, sir. You have no idea how much this means to me." Dessie smiled at Raoul as the bundle in her lap began to squirm. She unwrapped the baby, and pulled a baby rattle out from the blankets.

Dessie's smile broadened even more as she looked at her daughter. "This is the reason I have gotten this far." She said proudly, and she held the baby up to show the men as she told them, "This is my daughter, Emmaline."


End file.
